The Darkest Hour
by InternalD3mons
Summary: A different take on how Stef and Callie first met. There will be lots of Stef/Callie scenes. There will also be a lot more detail on Callie's past. R rated for trigger warning and topics. Please follow and review! I am always open to ideas!
1. Chapter 1

**_Hey everyone!_**

 ** _I know I've been gone for quite a while, (I know, I'm sooo sorry!) I've had a lot going on personally and I am super happy to finally be back. I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but I published a book, (yay!), and I'm still super happy about that. I have to go back and read through my fics so I can update them all for you. That's going to take me a while so I figured I'd give you all something new to read while I do that! Thank you so much for continuing to be super supportive! this pic is definitely R rated so please do not read if you are a younger person. Also, extreme trigger warning._**

 ** _(Topics of rape, sexual abuse, assault, abuse, etc)_**

I try not to remember. I try not to think about all of it. I try to stay strong. I try and I try but I always fail. All I ever do is fail. It's an everlasting cycle of failure and defeat. I constantly feel like I'm drowning in the memories of my past, a never ending nightmare.

For Jude, it's different. Jude still sees the light and happiness in people. He didn't go through all of the things I went through. But that's okay. That's how I wanted it. I never wanted Jude to get hurt, and he rarely ever did. For all of his mistakes, I took the beatings. I took the abuse. I took it because I could handle it, and because for me, there was no hope. I was always kicked around, pushed to the side, and reminded that I was worthless.

I didn't have good interactions with adults anymore. The thought of my mother was a harsh, painful, sting- a reminder of what I had lost, and what I would never get back. My father? Who cares about him. He made all of this happen, and he abandoned Jude and I, letting all of these horrible things happen to us. To me.

Bouncing around from house to house, getting beat, yelled at, and starved was my life now. It would never change. Shoplifting from stores so Jude and I would have something to eat was my reality, and something I hid from him.

Sometimes I would sit on the sidewalk in the city, and watch parents with their children. Walking, smiling, laughing. I was jealous, and sad. I would never have that. I wished that they would notice me. Notice my black eye, or my fat lip, or even the bruises and hand prints along my body. I wish they would, but they never did. I was just there, in the background.

"Callie!" Jude screamed my name, and my eyes shot open. I was outside, sitting on the steps, dreaming about a better life.

"Yeah, Bud?" I asked, looking at my baby brother. He scooted down the stairs and trotted in front of me, so I could see him.

"I was playing with my tennis ball that you found outside and it rolled into Dan's room." He said, stammering. His eyes were watering, the ball was his only toy. We had to pack light, and only carry what would fit in our backpacks. I always kept our stuff packed, in case we had to run away quick. It's happened before.

I sighed, Dan was home. It was seven at night, and I knew he was drinking. I got up, and stretched my arms. My left eye throbbed from the bruising I received the other night. I touched my lip gently, feeling that it was still swollen. I knew tonight things would only get worse. They always did.

"Jude, Buddy. You have to try and prevent this stuff from happening." I whispered. I knew it was an accident, but it could be prevented.

He looked down, and nodded his head, "I'm sorry."

"I know, Bud." I walked up the stairs, and quietly opened the door. I walked carefully to Dan's room, avoiding the empty cans and trash that littered the floor. His house was a dump.

He was laying on his bed, with a beer in one hand and the remote to his tv in the other hand. I looked at the tv and immediately felt sick. He was watching porn. I looked away quickly, searching the floor for Jude's ball. Of course, it was right in front of his tv. I sighed, ignoring the sick, nervous feeling in my gut.

I walked in quickly, heading directly to the ball.

"Hey!" He grumbled, tossing the remote at me. I avoided it, and it crashed into the wall. He took a sip from his beer, and set it on the night stand beside his bed.

"I just need to get this." I said, my voice shaking. I tried to block out the raunchy sounds coming from the tv.

He shot up, and immediately grabbed my arm.

I cried out in pain, and he grinned. He threw me onto the bed, and slammed his door.

I scrambled up, fearful of what he was planning. He slapped me across the face, and pushed me back down. Before I knew it he was on top of me, and I could hardly breathe. I began to cough, and he covered my mouth. I could feel him, _all_ of him, against my thigh. My eyes began to water, I was terrified. He uncovered my mouth so he could tear my shirt off.

"Please, please don't!" I cried, begging for him to stop. It only encouraged him. He snapped off my bra, and began working my pants off. He tugged at my underwear, and began grinding against me. I couldn't look at him. I knew what was going to happen.

I felt him grunt as he pulled his shorts off. He had no underwear on, and his shirt was already off. I looked down at him, and he was hard. He looked at me, grinning. He looked like some kind of beast.

He plunged inside of me, and I screamed in pain. He started grunting and moaning as he thrusted harder and faster. I cried and sobbed in pain, my body felt like it was tearing in half.

Jude started banging on the door, screaming my name.

Dan grabbed my neck with one hand and slapped me with the other, "Make him shut up!" He growled, but I couldn't say anything. He looked down at my breast, and grabbed them with both hands. His thrusts got harder, and his groans got louder. I continued to scream in pain, begging for it to end.

When he was done, he got off of me and pulled his shorts on. He shoved me off his bed, and I landed hard on his floor. I grunted in pain. I couldn't speak, and I couldn't move.

He opened the door, and I expected to hear Jude run in, but he didn't. I wanted to call out for him, or find him, but I couldn't speak and I couldn't move. I laid there, on my back, staring at the ceiling.

A few moments later, I heard sirens blaring, and I knew what Jude had done. He had gotten help.

I drove as fast as I could, my blood boiling. All I knew was that a girl was getting beat, and no child deserved that.

"Stef, relax. We don't even know what happened. It could be nothing." Mike, my ex-husband, and also my partner, told me.

I rolled my eyes, "Mike there was a little boy sobbing at the station, it has to be real."

Mike didn't say anything. After a few moments, he asked quietly, "Foster kids?"

I nodded, "Mhm. I believe so."

We got to the house, and I jumped out of the car. I ran up the steps, my gun to my side.

Mike caught up, "Stef, slow down!"

The door was wide open, and we proceeded carefully.

The house was tiny, and only one floor. It was dirty, and there was trash everywhere.

I looked at Mike, and he grimaced.

Mike and I split up, searching carefully and quietly.

I paused, hearing a slight noise. I listened closer, and it sounded like soft moans. I followed the noise, into a bedroom, and gasped. It wasn't the porn on the tv that shocked me, it was the teenage girl laying naked on the floor, with bruises and blood along her body.

I put my gun back in my holster and ran over to her, instantly kneeling down.

"Hey," I said quietly. She was staring at the ceiling, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"P-Please don't hurt me." She sobbed.

I felt my heart shatter, I looked around the room, and grabbed a blanket off the bed. I covered her small body, and scooped her up into my lap.

I turned and saw Mike standing in the doorway, his face white as a ghost.

"Ambulance, now!" I stammered, choking back tears. He nodded and left the room.

The girl in my lap didn't look at me, not once. Her body was shaking, and I knew she was raped. There was a handprint on her right cheek, and her left eye was bruised and black. Her lip was swollen, and there was a handprint on her neck.

I began to shake more, and the tears were rolling down faster.

"Shh, Honey, it's okay now. You're going to be okay. You're safe now." I whispered, holding onto her tightly. My heart felt shattered, and I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to catch the guy that did this, and kill him myself.

She continued to cry, but didn't say a word.

A few moments later I could hear sirens, and I knew the ambulance was here.

I heard Mike talking to them, and he led them to us. They came in with a stretcher, and gently lifted her away from me, being sure to keep her covered.

"No!", she screamed, reaching for me. I grabbed her hand, and gave it a soft squeeze, letting her know that she wasn't alone. She turned her head, and made eye contact with me for the first time.

In her eyes I saw intense sadness, and fear.

I had to help her, and keep her safe.

I couldn't let this happen to her again.

I had to do _something_.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey guys! Back for Chapter 2! I'm feeling creative today and I'm really liking this story so far, thank you so much for reading this story and giving me your input!_

All I remember is pain. Lots of pain, and fear. I remember the way it felt, and the amount of physical pain it caused. I remember hearing sirens, and hearing Dan swear, and take off, hiding from the police. I remember the female cop, who held me and actually comforted me, and held me. It scared me, to be held like that. I felt vulnerable, but I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I felt like every ounce of my being was ripped from inside of me and tossed in the trash.

I woke up in a white room, on a bed. As soon as I was awake, I felt pain. My lower half was still throbbing, and the rest of my body was aching.

I cringed, and immediately felt panic creeping up my spine. The last time I was in a bed... I couldn't think about it. My breath became short and ragged, and my body began to shake.

A nurse in teal scrubs ran into my room, and gripped my shoulders. I screamed.

"Please, no!" I cried, tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Honey, it's okay." She said, trying to reassure me. She didn't let go of my shoulders, and she began to try and lay me back down.

"No!" I screamed. I screamed so loud the back of my throat hurt.

"Hey, what's going on?" Another woman in scrubs asked, rushing into the rooms.

"I can't get her to lay down." The woman holding my shoulders grunted out, still trying to push me.

"Jess, let go of her." The woman said.

"No, she's going to take off. She's panicking."

"Please let me go!" I sobbed, still trying to fight her off of me.

"Jess!" The second woman rushed over and grabbed her hands, yanking them off of me.

"Go, now." She said, to the woman who was holding my shoulders.

She didn't say anything, but she left the room. I couldn't stop crying, and I didn't want to be here. I needed to find Jude. I needed to get out of here. I tried to move, but the pain stopped me. I cried out, frustrated.

"Honey, it's okay. You're safe here. We're all going to look out for you, here." She told me. She was standing beside my bed, and looking at me softly. Her hair was long, and auburn. Her eyes were a soft brown. She had to be in her thirties.

I didn't say anything.

"I know you want to get out of here, and I was told you have a little brother as well." She informed me, smiling warmly. I couldn't look at her. I couldn't look at anyone. I felt exposed, and embarrassed.

"Is Jude here?" I asked, still not making eye contact.

"He is. He is in the waiting room."

"Can I see him?" I asked, hopeful.

"I'm sorry, Honey. But not yet. We have a few things we have to do first." She explained kindly.

"What things?" I asked.

"We have to gather some evidence, and run a few tests. Then you can see Jude." She told me.

I nodded, "Okay."

"Okay Honey, let me tell the doctor that you're up and awake. Then we'll see about getting those tests done."

"Okay."

"Can I get you anything at all?" She asked, smiling at me.

I shook my head, "No."

"Alright, let me go talk to the doctor."

She left the room quietly and calmly, careful not to cause to much noise. I looked around the room I was in, it was all white. The bed I was in was white, and the sheet over me was white.

I looked at my arms, and cringed when I saw the handprints Dan had left. I tried not to think about what happened. But, it never worked that way. I remembered the pain, and the feeling of him inside of my body. I remembered the way he hit me, and grabbed my neck. I started crying again, big, wet tears.

There was a knock on the door, and a man came in with the same nurse that told me where Jude was.

Fear flooded over me, I did not want to be in a room with a man again.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Marshall." He said, "And this is Nurse Katie. We're going to take good care of you today, okay?" He asked. He looked to be in his forties. He had scrubs, gloves, and a mask on.

Katie stepped up, "Honey, we just need a little more information on you. Now, your brother said your name is Callie, right?"

I nodded.

She wrote on the clipboard that was in her hands.

"And your last name?"

"Jacob."

"And how old are you, Callie?"

"16."

"Any medications, allergies?"

I shook my head.

"Have you had sex before?" She asked, looking at me carefully.

I shook my head, "Not willingly."

"So... this is the second time?" She asked, quietly.

I nodded.

"How old were you then?"

"15."

"Okay. I know this is going to be hard, but need as much information as possible so we can take care of you the right way."

I stared at the wall in front of me, not making contact with them.

"I need you to give us as much information as you can about what happened last night."

I cringed.

"Please, Honey. I know it's hard."

"He-He raped me. He hit me, and he raped me."

She wrote on her clipboard, and didn't say anything. Tears pooled at the corner of my eyes, and slid down my cheeks.

Doctor Marshall cleared his throat, "We are going to have to perform a SAEK. I know this is scary, but it is mandatory. Do you know what that is?"

I shook my head.

"A SAEK is a Sexual Assault Evidence Kit. What we will do is gather as much information as possible. We will need to do a head to toe examination."

"No." I said.

"Callie-"

"No. I'm not doing it."

Doctor Marshall walked towards me, and I immediately panicked. I shot up and out of my bed, gasping in pain. For a second, my vision went blurry. I shoved passed them and out of the door, my gown flailing as I ran. Tears ran down my face, and I couldn't control my sobbing. Doctors and nurses watched me as I darted past them, not sure if they should do anything or not.

I kept running, following the exit signs. My body felt like it was on fire, and the pain was unbearable. I was about to get through the doors, when I felt two sets of strong arms wrap around me.

"No!" I screamed, kicking and fighting.

They were both tall, muscular men. Each one of them gripped one of my arms, clasping down on the bruises.

"Ow!" I screamed, the pain pulsating through my body.

"Relax!" One of them yelled.

I began to sob, "Please let me go!"

They began to drag me back into the hospital, griping me tightly.

"Please let me go!" I cried.

Instantly, they dropped me, and I crashed on the ground. I yelped in pain.

I felt two hands grasp my feet, and two hands grasp my hands.

"No!" I screamed.

"Hey!" I heard a woman scream.

"Hey! Put her down!" She said, rushing over.

"She's nuts. No way." One of them said.

"I am an officer of the law, and I am telling you to put her down, _now._ " She said.

The let go of me, letting my limbs drop onto the floor. I cried out again.

"Your problem now." One of them said, grunting.

I tried to get up, getting ready to run and find Jude.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's okay." I heard her say. She knelt down beside me, and I looked at her. It was the same cop from the other night. I looked at her and she had sincere, caring, soft eyes. I was shuddering, and my breath was ragged and uneven. My body was shaking.

She put her hand on my shoulder, and I jumped.

"Honey, it's okay." She said, her voice was soft and loving.

"I-I'm so scared. Please, please I don't want to be here." I cried.

"I know, Love. I know." She said, putting her arm around my shoulder. Something about her made me feel like I could trust her, and I felt like I was safe. Maybe it was the uniform. All I knew was that I needed someone to protect me right now, and tell me it was okay.

I looked up at her with watery eyes, "Please don't go." I choked out.

"Oh Honey," She said sitting down and pulling me into her lap, "I'm going anywhere, okay? I'll be with you the entire time."

I wrapped my arms around her and sobbed into her shoulder, she held onto me, telling me it would be okay.

After I finally calmed down, I scooted back over, "I don't want them to touch me." I said, my voice breaking.

"I know, Love. I know it's going to be scary, but they need to do it to make sure you're okay." She said softly.

I shook my head, "Please I don't want to do it, please don't make me." I cried.

She pulled me in for another hug, "I know it's scary love, but I'll be right there the whole time if you want me to." She told me.

I sat back and looked at her, "You'll stay in there with me?"

She nodded, "The whole time. You won't be alone."

I bit my lip, not wanting to do it, but I knew I had to.

"Okay?" She asked.

I nodded, "Okay."

She stood up, and helped me get on my feet. I gripped onto one of her hands with both of mine, terrified that I might lose her. Around us, people were watching, patients, nurses, and doctors. They smiled and nodded, and it made me uncomfortable. I didn't like that they were watching me.

"It's going to be okay, Love. I'm going to be right there the whole time. I won't go anywhere." She told me, reassuring me.

I didn't say anything. The closer we got to my room, the more afraid I became. We walked through the door, and shortly after, so did Doctor Marshal and Katie.

"Are we ready?" He asked.

I nodded, even though I wasn't. I was terrified. I climbed onto my bed, and Katie closed the door. I looked over to the officer, making sure she was still there. I read her name tag on her uniform. Stef.

Stef immediately stood beside me and gripped my hand, knowing that I needed her.

"Glad to see you back, Callie." Doctor Marshall said.

I didn't say anything, my body was trembling.

"Let me just tell you what is going to happen, "He said, snapping on a fresh pair of gloves, "Katie and I are forensic specialist, which means our job is to examine you and gather information. We are going to do some swabbing, do a pubic comb, get a pubic sample, and then we will use a colposcope to take photos."

"How long does it take?" I stammered.

"A few hours." He replied.

I gulped, and Stef gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Ready?" He asked.

I looked at Stef, not wanting to answer.

She gave me a quick smile, "It's okay, Love."

I looked back at the doctor.

"Ready."

The exam was the worst thing ever. I felt like it had happened all over again, and like I relived the entire experience again. I felt invaded, and exposed.

I laid on my bed quietly, not saying anything. Stef was still beside me.

As soon as Katie and Doctor Marshall left, Stef knelt down beside my bed, "You were so brave, Love."

I didn't say anything. I wanted all of this to be over. I wanted the bruises to go away, I wanted the memories to go away. I wanted _all_ of it to go away. I wanted Dan to pay for what he did, and to rot in prison forever. I wanted Liam to have to suffer the same thing. I hated them both, and I hated what they did to me.

I was still shaking, and my body was in more pain than ever. I wanted to curl into a ball and cry, and hide away forever. I knew as soon as all of this was over I would be placed into another shitty home where I would get treated horribly again.

Stef sat up, and the movement startled me, I flinched, and covered my face with my hands.

"Hey love, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I won't hurt you ever." She told me.

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. She was wrong. I would go to another home and it would happen again.

"What's on your mind, Love?" She asked me, looking down at me.

I didn't say anything.

"Can I tell you something?" She asked me, and I looked up at her, confused.

I nodded, "Sure."

She smiled warmly, "I have three kids at home. Brandon, Marianna, and Jesus. Marianna and Jesus are twins. My wife and I adopted them when they were five. Brandon is my biological son."

I smiled weakly, longing for a family, or a home in general. Just a place where I wouldn't be hurt anymore.

"Want to know something cool?" She asked me, smiling again.

I shrugged.

"You and Jude," She said, smiling, "are going to meet them all."

I looked up at her, not understanding what she meant.

She nodded, "You and Jude are going to be staying with us. We're going to keep you safe."

Tears flooded my eyes, how did this woman know I needed her so badly?

She sat beside me on my bed, and opened her arms. I crawled into them and rested my head on her chest. She wrapped her arm around me, and I felt safe, and protected.

"Are you sure?" I asked, not looking at her.

"I'm positive."


	3. Chapter 3

**_Hey everyone! Thank you all for continuing to follow this story and leave me such positive feed back! I will definitely go back after the story is complete and check over for typos (I'm a pro at making typos)_**

 ** _If there is anything in particular you would like to see in this story please leave it in the comment section (or message me directly) and I will see if it is something I can work into the story!_**

 ** _I am really enjoying this story so far and really having a good time writing it and piecing it together. I'm having a lot of fun piecing together Callie's past (and adding in some new things). I also am a super fan of the Stef/Callie relationship, so you will be seeing a lot of that along with other family moments._**

 ** _Thank you all so much!_**

After what felt like forever, I was finally discharged from the hospital. Jude spent a lot of time with me there, but he was different. I knew why he was different, but I had no idea how I would ever be able to talk to him about it, or talk to _anyone_ about it. I could only imagine the thoughts that ent through Jude's head when the whole horrible event took place. I hoped he didn't feel guilty, and I hoped he didn't totally understand it. I knew he did, though. Just by the way he was acting, I knew that he knew what happened, and I knew he felt guilty. I could never blame him, though.

I stared out the window of Stef's car as we drove down the road. The California air was hot, and sticky. We were on our way home from the hospital, and it was my turn to meet the Adams-Foster family. Jude had already met them, and told me he really liked them. He told me that Stef was the head of the house, loving, and caring. He believed that Lena was a professional chef, because her food was just _that_ good. He really liked Lena, I could tell. Marianna was girly, and he wasn't sure if we would get along. Jesus was sporty and played video games, him and Jude spent a lot of time together. And Brandon. Brandon was the musician, and Jude said he played beautiful piano music. They all seemed normal, but I was still afraid.

Finally, we pulled up to a large, beautiful house.

"This is it." Stef said, as she put her car into park and shut off the engine. I stared at the huge house, it was like nothing I had ever seen.

"Come on, Callie!" Jude exclaimed, as he leaped out of the car and darted for the front steps. He waited at the bottom of the steps, watching me with a big grin on his face. He was happy here. Despite everything that had happened, he was happy here. That told me that we had finally landed in a good place.

I got out of the car carefully, and swung my backpack over my shoulder. What would they think of me? I still had bruises, and I looked like a train wreck. I wondered if they knew what happened to me. I hoped not, but I figured Lena would know.

I closed the door, and took a deep breath. Stef came beside me and gave my shoulder a quick pat.

"Ready, Love?" She asked, with a gentle smile.

I nodded sheepishly, and followed her to the house.

"Callie, you're gunna love it!" Jude exclaimed. I smiled weakly at him.

Stef opened the front door, and four people stood at the entrance waiting. They smiled at me.

"Hi Callie, I'm Lena." A tall, slender, beautiful woman said, as she smiled at me.

She looked at the kids around her, "This guy right here is Brandon." She said, pointing to a tall, dorky looking guy. He smiled at me awkwardly.

"And these two are Jesus and Marianna." She informed me, pointing to the twins beside her.

"Hi." I said, sheepishly. I wasn't good at introductions, and I wasn't good at coming into a new home. I wanted to trust them all, but a part of me wasn't allowing it. I was angry at my past for causing me to be this way.

"Alright everyone, get ready for school! Mama's leaving soon!" Stef announced, shooing them away playfully. The three of them groaned, and turned towards a set of stairs. Slowly, they slugged up them.

"Honey, there's some breakfast in the kitchen," Lena said, smiling at Stef, "you two can help yourselves as well." She said to Jude and I.

"Thanks, Love." Stef said, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Come on, kiddos! Trains leaving!" Lena called, as she swung her purse over her shoulder.

"I will see you later," She said to Stef, giving her a quick kiss, "I love you."

Stef smiled, "I love you too."

One by one Brandon, Jesus, and Marianna filed down the stairs and followed Lena out the door.

Jude headed to the kitchen, where he picked up a plate and piled it with food. He sat down at the table, and began scarfing it down.

"Hungry?" Stef asked me, but I shook my head.

"Alright, Sweets. Let me show you where you'll be staying." She said, heading towards the stairs. I followed her.

At the top of the stairs were five doors, she pointed out the bathroom, and then led me to one of the rooms.

It was pink, and extremely girly. But, it was nice. There were two twin sized beds, and I knew I was bunking with Marianna. I hoped we would get along. I wasn't unhappy about having a roomie, I was actually happy about it. I didn't want to be alone in a room anymore. Ever since what happened, I've been constantly on edge and afraid.

"Here ya go, Love. You're splitting a room with Mari. There's an empty dresser right there, and some room in the closet." She explained, giving me a smile.

"Thank you." I said quietly, feeling awkward. This was the nicest room I had been in for such a long time.

"I'm going to let you settle in, there's plenty of food downstairs. Please don't hesitate if you're hungry. If you need anything, holler. I took today off so you and Jude wouldn't be here by yourselves." She said, giving me a warm, kind smile.

"How has Jude been?" I blurted out.

She looked at me quizzically, "What do you mean?"

I shook my head, "Never mind. It's okay." I didn't want to have this conversation, and I totally regretted asking about Jude in the first place.

"I'm not going to push you, yet." Stef chuckled, "You can talk to me at anytime about anything, Callie." She told me, giving me a sincere smile.

"Thank you." I said, smiling awkwardly.

She turned and left the room, and I heard her go down the stairs. A few moments later, Jude came into my room.

"Hey, Bud." I said, happy to see him.

He looked down at the floor, and I knew something was on his mind. I knew _what_ was on his mind.

"Hey." He said, quietly.

"Are you okay, Bud?" I asked, eying him carefully.

He looked up at me with big, sad, tear-filled eyes, "Are you?"

Seeing Jude so upset broke my heart, and I couldn't stop the tears. They rolled down my cheeks, and I nodded.

"I'm okay." I choked out.

Jude shook his head, "It's my fault!"

I stood up and rushed over to him, wrapping my arms around him, "No Buddy, it's not your fault."

He sobbed into my shoulder, "Yes it is! If I didn't lose my ball it wouldn't have happened!"

"Jude," I said, calming myself down, "It's not your fault. I love you _so_ much. I would do anything for you. Anything to keep you safe and anything to keep you happy. It's just been you and I these past few years, and a lot has happened to me, but I wouldn't have it any other way. To me, you being safe is all that matters. I can get past it, and I'm okay."

Jude stepped back, and wiped his eyes, "Are you sure it wasn't my fault?"

I nodded my head, "Positive."

"I love you, Callie." He said, hugging me.

"I love you more, Bud."

The first day went by fast. I was happy to have that conversation with Jude, and happy to be able to reassure him. I didn't want him to carry that guilt. When everyone got home from school, we had dinner, and watched a movie. I realized that in this home, family really matters. They care so much about each other, and really enjoyed spending so much time together. Jesus talked to me about sports, really hoping that I played some. He was disappointed when I said no, but was happy when I told him I'd go to his games. Marianna talked about drama at her school, which no one really paid attention to. Brandon talked about music, and an upcoming competition. After the movie, we helped Lena clean the kitchen, and all went upstairs to our rooms.

"So like, how old are you?" Marianna asked me. She was sitting on her bed, painting her nails.

"Sixteen." I said.

"You're a year older then Jesus and I." She informed me. I was sitting on my bed, rummaging through my backpack. I didn't really have anything, neither did Jude.

"Is that all you have?" Marianna asked, staring at me with big eyes.

I felt my face turn red, and I nodded.

"OMG!" She exclaimed, hopping off of her bed.

I watched her as she walked over to her closet.

"You can wear anything in here." She told me, giving me a proud smile, "And all my books and stuff, you can use that too."

I didn't expect that at all.

"Thank you." I said, not sure what to say. I wasn't used to people being kind to me.

"Of course. I remember what it was like to be in the system." She said, looking down at her nails.

"Yeah," I sighed, "It sucks."

She chuckled, and got back onto her bed, "It really does. Jesus and I got lucky though, Stef and Lena really saved us."

"They're really nice. Stef has been really good to me." I admitted.

"Yeah. They're really sweet. How come you're in the system?" She asked, looking over at me.

I didn't want to talk about this. I thought about my mother, and my eyes got watery. If she were still here, none of this would have happened to me. I would have a normal life, and I would never have gotten abused, or raped.

"Uh, my mom, she, she died." I stammered, trying not to cry.

"Oh wow," Marianna said, "I'm so sorry."

I shrugged, "Yeah, it sucks. I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight." I said, getting underneath my covers. I tried to block out the thoughts about my mother, but I couldn't. I missed her more than I could imagine.

I yawned, and nestled into my bed. I was exhausted and could already feel sleep creeping up on me.

I closed my eyes, allowing it to take over me.

 _I tried biting his hands, and kicking at him. He laughed, and kept my mouth covered. I tried to scream, but nothing would come out. He hit my face once, trice, and a third time. My skin stung, and he laughed again. He continued hitting me, and laughing._

 _"I know you've been wanting this, Callie." He said, grinding against my body. I could hardly_ _breathe. I shook my head, I didn't want this._

 _He slapped me._

 _"Tell me you want it." He said, lifting his hand off my mouth._

 _I didn't say anything._

 _He grabbed my neck, and glared at me._

 _"Say it." He growled through clenched teeth._

 _"I want it." I choked out, trying not to gag over the words. He groaned, and put his hand over my mouth again. I felt him tug at my clothes with one hand, with no success._

 _He lifted his hand off my mouth, and quickly tore my clothes off. I felt the tears build up in my eyes._

 _I felt his fingers on me, gliding them around and inserting them inside of me. I cried out, and tried to fight him away._

 _He slapped me._

 _I heard him unzip his pants, and that was when the pain really started._

 _I screamed out, trying as hard as I could to fight him._

 _He laughed at me, "You're damaged goods, Callie. This is all you're ever going to get. You deserve this."_

"Hey, hey, Love!" I heard someone say. I felt someone gently shaking me, and screamed.

"No!" I cried out, it was really happening.

I began to sob.

"Callie, it's okay. It's just me. It's Stef."

I opened my eyes, and saw Stef standing beside me. Her eyes were wide with sadness and concern.

Embarrassed, I began to cry more.

"It's okay, Love." She whispered, sitting on my mattress.

"He-he's not here?" I asked, looking around frantically. All I saw was Marianna sitting on her bed, staring at me. Lena, Jude, Jesus, and Brandon, were in the doorway.

"Who's not here, Sweets?" Stef asked, looking back towards Lena. Jude put his head down, knowing what this was about.

"L-Liam." I stuttered, still trying to fight back my tears.

"Who's Liam?" She asked me, confused.

"No one." Jude said, interrupting.

"No one?" Stef asked him.

Jude nodded, not meeting her eyes.

"Well he must be someone." She said, looking over at me again.

I shook my head, not wanting to talk about this.

Jude tugged at Lena's sleeve, and she looked down at him.

"I need to tell you who Liam is." He said quietly, through tears.

"Jude, no." I said, shaking my head.

"Callie, Love. It's okay. You're safe here." Stef said, trying to comfort me.

"Marianna, why don't you and your siblings go watch a move downstairs." Lena offered, and they all left.

"Liam hurt Callie." Jude said, his voice small.

Stef looked down at me, and I looked away. I couldn't stop the tears rom flowing, and I couldn't hide my embarrassment.

"I don't know what he did, but I know it's real bad because whenever Callie dreams about him she gets really scared." He blurted out, his eyes filling with tears. I began to cry more, wishing he would stop.

"Alright, Jude, Love. Do you want to go watch a move with Lena and everyone else?" Stef asked, looking from Lena to Jude.

"Callie?" Jude asked, making sure it was allowed.

"Go ahead, Bud." I said, quietly.

I heard him and Lena walk away, but I didn't look at them. I continued to look at the wall.

I felt Stef scoot beside me onto the mattress.

"I'm not going to pressure you into talking to me, but I want you to know that you can. I'm here and I'm going to keep you safe." She told me.

I didn't say anything.

"Callie?"

"Yeah?" I asked, my voice raspy.

"Who's Liam?" I blinked. I thought she just said she wasn't going to pressure me.

"My old foster brother." I told her.

"What happened?" She asked.

I didn't say anything. I couldn't talk about this right now. Why did she want to know, anyway? I began to cry quietly, wishing this was all over.

"Come here, Love." Stef said, nudging my shoulder gently. I turned over, and her arms were open wide. I couldn't resist the need to feel safe. I snuggled up to her, and she wrapped her arms around me.

"What did he do?" She asked.

I began to shake. He ruined my life. He took a piece of me. He ruined me.

"He raped me." I said, my voice shattering. I began to sob, and Stef held me tight.

"Oh, Love." She said, and I continued to cry into her side.

"How old were you?"

"Fifteen." I choked out.

"Oh my god." She said, her voice raspy.

I didn't say anything. I continued to cry.

"Did you have a dream about him?"

I nodded.

"Did he ever get into trouble?"

I shook my head.

"We're going to do something about this." She said, and I looked up at her.

"Why?" I asked.

"You deserve justice, Callie."

I didn't care if I got justice or not. All I knew was that I never wanted to see him again. I didn't say anything, I didn't know what to say. My head was a mess.

"You're safe, here." She reminded me, and I was glad that she did. It reassured me.

"Can you stay in here?" I asked, feeling childish for asking.

She nodded, "Of course I can."

"Thank you." I said, snuggling up to her more. I don't know what it was about her, but I felt like I could trust her. I felt safe, and protected. I never wanted this feeling to go away.

"Can we talk about this more in the morning?" Stef asked, knowing I was a mess. She wasn't pushing me, and I was happy about that. I was a little mad she pushed me to talk earlier, but I felt better after I did.

I nodded, "Yeah."

Stef kissed my forehead, "I won't let anyone hurt you anymore."


	4. Chapter 4

**_Wow! *Another* update! I'm on a roll with this one! I still need to go through my other stories and pick up where I left off on the incomplete ones. I think I am enjoying writing this story so much because unlike my other ones that I have written, I'm really plunging into details on this one. I'm enjoying thinking up Callie's past and putting my own creative twist on it._**

 ** _I see some of you have mentioned in the comment section that you would like to know a little bit about the book I published. It's a young adult novel about a girl who struggles in the foster system. She has suffered severe abuse and has major trust issues. She ends up landing in a home with a single woman who changes her life, but ends up making a huge mistake! I don't want to spoil it too much in case anyone is interested in reading it. There are some personal experiences of my own that I wrote into my character's life, which I found interesting! If you would like to know more about it please PM me!_**

 ** _Thank you all so much for your continued support! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!_**

I didn't sleep much that night. The thought of Liam upset me more than anything else. It was my fault. I could have prevented it. Every time I think of Liam I think of how I could have done things differently. The thought of him pinning me down, and breathing on my neck made me panic.

I woke up numerous times through the night. Each time I woke up in tears Stef was right there to comfort me. She didn't make me talk about it. She opened her arms and let me snuggle up to her. SHe'd wrap her arms around me and kiss my forehead, promising me that it would be okay and that she would keep me safe.

I woke up and finally it was light out. Stef was still beside me, sleeping quietly. I sat up quietly, trying not to disturb her. Marianna was still asleep in her bed. I needed fresh air. I was exhausted, and I felt suffocated by all of these nightmares about Liam.

I quickly and carefully crawled over Stef, careful not to wake her up. When I was off the bed, I turned around to make sure she was still sleeping. After seeing that she was, I headed to the bathroom.

I stared at myself in the mirror, no longer recognizing myself. I felt like I was just... there, but not really there. I was a punching bag for everyone, and I put myself on the line constantly to keep Jude safe. What was I even worth? After all of these years I've never found a home, there has to be a reason.

I blinked away the tears that were forming in my eyes, why did all of this happen to me?

I slid to the floor of the bathroom, and put my head in my hands. My body felt numb, and I felt empty.

Quietly, I cried.

"Callie?" There was a quiet knock on the door. I ignored it.

"Callie, are you okay?" I knew it was Stef, and I knew she wouldn't relent until she knew I was okay.

"I'm okay." I lied, cringing at how noticeably raspy my voice was from crying.

"Are you sure?" She asked, still on the other side of the door.

Before I could answer, I heard light footsteps approach the door.

"Is Callie in there?"

It was Jude, and I knew he was worried. Me crying in the bathroom was never a good thing. Every time I got hit in a previous home I would lock myself and Jude in the bathroom, and I would cry quietly.

"She is." Stef answered.

"What did you do to her?" He asked, his voice rating in fear.

"What? I didn't do anything to her, Love."

"You're lying!" He yelled, and he started to bang on the door.

"Callie!" He cried, still banging on the door.

I stood up, knowing he wouldn't stop until he saw me.

I opened the door, "Bud, I'm fine."

He hugged me, clinging to my sore body. I winced in pain.

Stef looked at me with concern, but she didn't press.

"Callie, I thought they hurt you." Jude said, stepping back and wiping the tears off his cheeks.

"No, Bud," I said, "They didn't hurt me."

Jude looked back at Stef and gave her a week smile, not knowing what to say. A few moments later, Lena rounded the corner.

"Oh, hey guys!" She said, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

"Hi, Sweetheart." Stef smiled.

Lena looked at the three of us questioningly, "Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I was actually going to show Callie the backyard quick." Stef told her, and I looked at her, confused. She didn't say anything about that yesterday or last night. Then I realized that we were probably going to talk about Liam.

"Okay, I'm going to start breakfast. Want to lend me a hand, Jude?" She asked, smiling at him.

He nodded, and they started walking down the stairs.

I followed Stef down the stairs, and out to the backyard. There was a large tree, and a porch. On the porch was a bench swing. Stef walked over to it and sat down, patting the space beside her. I walked over, and sat beside her.

"Alright, my love," She said with a sigh, "I know this is going to be hard." She said, not sure what to say next.

I looked down at my socked feet, not sure what to say. I didn't want to do this.

"You're not disposable, Callie. You're not _worthless_. I've only known you for a short time, but I know for a fact that you do not deserve the things that have happened to you. I don't know everything about your past, but I want to. I want to know _you_ and everything that makes you who you are. I know it's going to be scary for you to let me in, and to trust me, but I want you to know that you can. I promise I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and protect you. So please, tell me what's going on in that beautiful mind, Love."

No one has said anything that kind to me. No one has ever cared about my past. No one has ever wanted to keep me safe. This was a whole new realm to me, and it was scary.

"What happened with Liam?" She finally asked me. I felt fear shoot through my body, and I could feel myself begin to shake. I clasped my hands together in my lap. Stef placed her hand on top of mine, and I let her hold onto it.

"Jude and I have been in the system for a really long time. All of them were awful, there wasn't one good one. Until we came to the Olmstead family." I shuddered. Even saying their last name brought on a fear like no other. Stef noticed this, and she gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"At first, they were really nice. They treated us like we were part of the family. Jude didn't get in trouble, even when he did things that got him in trouble in other homes. They didn't hit me or yell at me the way everyone else. Liam is their son. He was really nice to me too. It felt so good to just be... _loved_. He would surprise me with little things. Things like candy bars, small stuffed animals, small things that made me feel special. Then he started kissing me. At first it was my cheek, and then he started kissing my lips. He would tell me he loved me, and that I was special. His parents even planned on adopting Jude and I. His parents ended up going on vacation and the night they left he came into my room. He made me do stuff, and said he would tell his parents something crazy so they wouldn't adopt us if I didn't. Then he..." I trailed off. I couldn't bring myself to say it. I couldn't bring myself to tell her how he pinned me down and tore my clothes off. How he held me down and breathed down my neck, saying gross, dirty things that still haunted me. I couldn't tell her how much it hurt, and how much I begged for it to stop. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes, and I knew I was going to cry. I was scared. The memories scared me. The thought of him scared me.

"Callie, I am so sorry that happened to you." Stef said. She pulled me into her arms, wrapping me up into a tight, protective hug. I didn't reject it. I needed it. I needed to feel safe, and protected, and... loved?

I sniffled, trying to control my emotions.

"I want to do something about this." Stef told me, still holding onto me.

"No." I said, terrified. If she brought this up, made something about it- that would mean _he_ would be back. I couldn't stand the thought of that.

"Baby, you deserve justice. You didn't deserve that. I want to kill him myself." I looked up at her, noticing that her eyes were welled up with tears. Why did she care so much?

"Stef?" I looked up at her again.

"Yes, Calliebear?" She said, looking down at me. She pushed my bangs behind my ear, and smiled at me.

"How come you care so much?" I was genuinely curious. How did she come into my life and suddenly care so much about Jude and I?

She sighed, "When Jude came into the station that night crying and sobbing, begging for help... I knew you two were alone. The way he was so... afraid to lose you... And then I got there and saw you... and the place where you two were living... The bruises on you... the tennis ball in the room... I knew you had put yourself on the line to get that ball... I knew you were in charge, always on the lookout for Jude... but no one was on the lookout for you... I saw how strong you were... and how badly you needed a family... I couldn't leave you in that hospital alone. I had to be there with you, and I grew so attached to you, there was no way I was going to let you two go back into a horrible home again." She explained, toying with my hair.

I didn't say anything. It was true. I needed somebody. I needed a family. I needed Stef.

"Thank you for saving me." I whispered, so incredibly thankful for this woman and her family.

She gave me a quick squeeze, "I love you two so much."

I thought about Liam again. What would happen when he found out I told somebody? What would he do to me? I felt myself start to shake.

"What are you thinking about, Love?" Stef asked.

"Liam." I admitted.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make him pay for what he did to you."

I nodded, "Okay."

"Thank you for telling me all of this. I know it was hard for you. You're so brave, and I'm so proud of you." She told me, planting a kiss onto my forehead.

I didn't say anything, it was scary, but I trusted her. It felt good to feel protected.

"I trust you." I told her.

"I'm glad you do."

*BREAK*

"So, Jude," Lena said, as she rifled through the cabinets, "I know things have been really tough for you and Callie."

I looked down at my cup of hot chocolate that Lena made for me. I wasn't allowed to have coffee, but that's okay. It was for adults anyway.

"Now, you don't have to tell me... but what has happened to Callie?" She asked, turning around with a box of pancake mix. Her hair was messy from sleep, and she was wearing a red t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms.

I paused for a moment, thinking about this. I wasn't sure if I should tell her or not. Would Callie be mad?

"How come you want to know?" I asked, looking up at her.

"Well, Stef and I want to be able to help her as best as we can. But, we don't know much about her. I was hoping you'd share a little bit with us, just so we'd have an idea." She explained to me.

I guess it couldn't hurt if they only wanted to help her, right? Besides, I liked Lena. She was nice.

"Callie got hit a lot." I told her.

Lena frowned a little, and sadness creeped into her eyes, "Why?"

I frowned, "She would take the blame for things I did. But sometimes they would hit her for no reason. Sometimes it would be really bad, and she'd have big bruises. It was scary. She would lock us in the bathroom afterwards, and she would cry quietly. Sometimes they would throw stuff at her, or push her down stairs."

I looked at Lena, and noticed that her eyes were watering.

"Why are you crying?" I asked.

Lena swatted at the corner of her eyes and sniffled, "That's horrible that she had to endure those things."

I nodded, "Yeah. Sometimes our foster dads would take her into their rooms. But I don't know what they did in there. I know when they let Callie out she would be really quiet and scared."

Lena's body kind of drooped, like she was overcome with a wave of sadness, "Oh my gosh."

"What?" I asked, not understanding.

She shook her head, "Thank you for telling me, Jude."

I smiled, "I hope it helps. I think she really likes it here."

She smiled, "I'm happy to hear that. Are you happy here?"

I nodded my head vigorously, "Yeah!"

Lena chuckled, "Good, we really like you and Callie."

I smiled, it was nice to hear that.


End file.
